5 Ways to Show Support For Your LGBTQ+ Employees
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation ran a report which found that 46% of LGBTQ workers remain closeted at work. While this doesn’t come as a surprise to the community, it may be news to you as a manager, leader, or employer.
LGBTQ workers are more likely to face harassment through homophobic comments, feel unsupportive by managers, and feel excluded from work activities.
In order to overcome these barriers, it’s important for you to show your LGBTQ allies how they are valued in your company. More so, it’s key to take the steps to ensure a comfortable work environment for everyone. Here are 5 tips.
1.) Don’t Assume, Go at Their Pace
One of the biggest difficulties the LGBTQ community faces is the assumptions many have about who they are. This can take a number of different forms, from pronouns to partner status.
For example, let’s say you have a lesbian employee who has not come out to you yet. You may notice an engagement ring and automatically ask the question, “When did he propose?” Naturally, this can lead to an awkward situation for both parties when the ring is from a she.
With that in mind, the best way to go about these situations is to simply not assume. In the above example, if you don’t know whether your employee is gay or straight, you can simply ask, “When did your partner propose?”
By asking questions in this manner, you’re allowing them to come out and reveal their personal life to you at their own pace. This is important because not every LGBTQ person is an open book. Some prefer to get to know someone before discussing their personal lives.
2.) Ask Questions, But Don’t Get Nosy
When someone does come out to you, it’s only natural you may have questions - especially if you don’t have too many experiences with the LGBTQ community. If your employee has opened up to you, chances are they’re willing to answer the questions you have.
In fact, most LGBTQ people would prefer you ask questions rather than ignore the fact. By being quiet about it, you appear as though you’re hiding something (likely a negative opinion) and in turn, make the other person feel as though they need to hide it.
However, there is a line when it comes to taking questions too far. Certain questions such as “How did you know you were gay?” or “How do you and your partner have sex?” would make anyone uncomfortable.
It’s okay to have questions but understand the boundaries most people have and apply them to your LGBTQ employees.
This includes matchmaking. If one individual knows a handful of gay people, chances are there’s the assumption that any gay person will be attracted to those people. If you were to apply this logic to those who are straight, you start to see how illogical it is.
3.) Educate Yourself
Another assumption many straight people have is that LGBTQ people’s entire personality revolves around their sexuality or gender. Of course, it doesn’t. But you may find yourself only initiating conversations about LGBTQ with your gay employees.
The community has one simple request among their allies, to be treated the same as anyone else. While our culture is much more transparent about gay rights than in previous generations, a number of questions remain in anyone’s mind.
However, it’s not the responsibility of a gay person to answer these questions for you. They’re not your educators.
The internet offers so many tools and information bases concerning LGBTQ and chances are, it also has all the answers you’re looking for. Not to mention, the community is constantly making progress and chances are you’ll run across news stories consistently.
Stay on top of what’s happening with the community. Develop an understanding of your gay employees that they don’t have to teach you. Allow yourself to be a participant in your own evolution.
4.) Stick Up for Your LGBTQ Employees
When it comes to those in the LGBTQ community who are either transgender or gender fluid, the biggest difficulty is pronouns. It’s a topic not everyone can wrap their head around, but even more so, many people make mistakes.
It’s okay to make mistakes - nobody’s perfect. But you need to show you’re making an effort to properly address someone by their pronouns.
If you find it to be “too hard,” you’re telling the other person, “I don’t respect you enough to make an effort.” Okay, you may not be saying that directly, but that’s how it feels to many who face this obstacle.
If you’re not sure of a person’s pronouns, it’s okay to ask. In fact, it’s encouraged you ask because it shows you’re willing to go out of your way to ensure someone feels comfortable in the work environment.
Furthermore, once you learn of a person’s pronouns, it helps greatly to communicate this with other co-workers. This ensures that everyone inside the work environment is aware of what your LGBTQ employee(s) prefer.
If you find someone isn’t using the proper pronouns, correct them. It shows you’re willing to stick up for your employees and that you’re willing to make an effort to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.
5.) Get Involved in the LGBTQ Community
There are so many ways you can get involved in the LGBTQ community. Whether it’s going to a Pride march or a protest. However, your company also has the opportunity to get involved.
In the example of your local pride parade, you can encourage your office to sponsor a float. Or you can motivate fellow employees to participate in the parade.
Even more so, you can check to ensure everyone is covered under insurance policies, including transgender care.
Final Word
As you go about creating a more LGBT-inclusive workplace, it’s only natural you’re going to make mistakes. That’s okay! As long as your heart is in the right spot, you don’t have to worry about accidental missteps along the way.
We’re all human and we’re all working on this together. All that matters is the effort you put in and the direction you help to take the community.
